Canadian Drivers, AWD? Gimmick, Good to have, Must have?

[SgtTibbs]

I'm looking at a new car and figured I'd go directly to the source when it comes to winter driving. Hello Canada!

I'm looking at a either an Minivan or SUV with FWD that offers AWD as an add-on, do I really need AWD for daily winter driving or would the money (~$2,000 USD) be better spent on FWD and a good set of winter tires?

If I do need AWD for snow&slush are all season tires sufficient or would I still need a separate set of winter tires?

 

[mikehn]

I swear every other car in Denver is a Subaru

 

[elgerber]

I am not from Canada, but close enough, Minnesota. Up until November we had 2 AWD vehicles. My lease was up and my new vehicle does not have AWD. We are having an absolutely horrible February (just broke the all time Feb snow record by 5 inches, with 3 more storms coming through yet) and I can tell you, it is NOT a gimmick! Thank goodness I work from home, because getting around in this stuff with my new car is so much more challenging than in my old one or my husbands current vehicle.

 

[Klayfish]

AWD is not a "bad" thing, so I'll start with that. It's certainly not going to hurt you and isn't a wrong choice. However, is it necessary? Unless you live in an extreme environment, no. Subaru has built themselves up with a brilliant advertising campaign making you think you need AWD. For the majority, FWD and good all season tires will do fine. If you want to be extra sure footed because you live in area that sees a decent amount of snow, FWD and a set of dedicated snow tires will be all you need. Of course if you really want to go nuts, having AWD and snow tires will give you the most traction of any combination, but it's probably unnecessary. To put it another way: FWD w/snow tires > AWD w/regular all season tires. Go through any automotive publication that tests cars for a living and that's the advice you'll find too.

So do you "need" AWD for daily winter driving? Nope. But whether you want it or not is entirely up to you.

 

[SgtTibbs]

getting around in this stuff with my new car is so much more challenging than in my old one or my husbands current vehicle.

Does the new car have winter tires or All season, or just summer tires?

 

[Klayfish]

Does the new car have winter tires or All season, or just summer tires?

Obviously I don't know the answer to the question you asked about PPs vehicle, but just to help with some clarity around tires. True "summer tires" are a specialty tire, in the same concept that snow tires are. Not many cars come from the factory with summer tires, most come with all season tires. All season tires are such a broad category....some are geared toward sporty driving but have minimal snow/ice capability, some have very good snow/ice capability but have minimal sporty driving capability. Cars that come from the factory with summer tires are things like Corvette, Porsche, etc...as the owners of those cars rarely take them out in slippery weather.

 

[tvguy]

My family in Canada all swear by rear wheel drive and a 150 pound bag of sand in the trunk.

 

[tvguy]

AWD is not a "bad" thing, so I'll start with that. It's certainly not going to hurt you and isn't a wrong choice. However, is it necessary? Unless you live in an extreme environment, no. Subaru has built themselves up with a brilliant advertising campaign making you think you need AWD. For the majority, FWD and good all season tires will do fine. If you want to be extra sure footed because you live in area that sees a decent amount of snow, FWD and a set of dedicated snow tires will be all you need. Of course if you really want to go nuts, having AWD and snow tires will give you the most traction of any combination, but it's probably unnecessary. To put it another way: FWD w/snow tires > AWD w/regular all season tires. Go through any automotive publication that tests cars for a living and that's the advice you'll find too.

So do you "need" AWD for daily winter driving? Nope. But whether you want it or not is entirely up to you.

I have lost track here in the Sierra in recent weeks how many AWD or 4x4 vehicles they have had to tow out of ditches because people drive beyond the capabilities of their car without regard to the drive system.

 

[cabanafrau]

Front wheel drive and all season tires are sufficient for all but the most extreme winter road conditions in SE Michigan. When I say extreme winter road conditions, I mean the kind of conditions where authorities are recommending any who do not have an absolute necessity to be on the roads stay off the roads.

I learned to drive on very large rear wheel drive vehicles (9-passenger station wagon/full size pickup truck) and did not have my own vehicle until graduating high school. I'm very familiar with riding around with bags of sand in the trunk to ensure there's enough weight for those back tires to grab tight. Front wheel drive is hands down easier when navigating tricky winter roads IMO. We've had two Tuesdays this month with significant icing events. I don't care how much weight I might have piled in the back of a rear wheel drive vehicle, I wouldn't have driven anywhere. I didn't feel a need to stay home with FWD.

 

[Scifidiner]

Get a Jeep Rubicon with 4:10 gears, then you can go anywhere you want (including the Rubicon).

 

[Minnesota!]

AWD, all the way. From the frozen tundra of MN...

 

[Floridaman999]

My sister is a rural mail carrier and insists on AWD. She says she will never own a vehicle without it. She couldn't believe the difference in driving once she had one.

 

[cvjw]

We are by no means in a snowy climate here in Atlanta, but have had some decent snow falls the last few years. Most people here do not have snow tires or awd cars and are helpless in icy snows.

My husband has a Subaru Outback with awd, and swears by it in the snow. A few years back, he was one of only a few people from his office that didn’t have to walk home due to their cars getting stuck on the icy roads. It was so bad that kids had to spend the night on school buses or at their schools and people had to sleep on the interstate

After that snow, almost everyone in my neighborhood now has at least one Subaru!

 

[Kitty 34]

After this winter I think my next vehicle will be a plow.

 

[Squirlz]

We are by no means in a snowy climate here in Atlanta, but have had some decent snow falls the last few years. Most people here do not have snow tires or awd cars and are helpless in icy snows.

My husband has a Subaru Outback with awd, and swears by it in the snow. A few years back, he was one of only a few people from his office that didn’t have to walk home due to their cars getting stuck on the icy roads. It was so bad that kids had to spend the night on school buses or at their schools and people had to sleep on the interstate

After that snow, almost everyone in my neighborhood now has at least one Subaru!

The problem there is lack of snow removal equipment. I moved from the midwest to Stone Mountain and one day we got about 2 inches of snow. I drove my 2WD pickup to work and I was one of two people who even showed up. I did donuts in the parking lot and went home.

 

[Iralyn]

I live in the snowbelt of Ontario. A month ago we got 2 feet of snow in a 24 hour period and life continued on almost as normal -- school buses were cancelled for only one day! I have never had AWD...it has just never been a feasible option when I've been looking to purchase a new (usually used) vehicle. But I would consider snow tires to be a top priority. And I would certainly never buy a rear wheel drive vehicle to drive around here in the winter.

Here is an interesting article that is relevant to the discussion: https://www.wheels.ca/news/does-all-wheel-drive-actually-help-in-winter-driving/

 

[Klayfish]

Yep, I think even this thread shows how brilliant Subaru marketing is. They get people to think that not only do they need AWD, but they need a Subaru AWD. I'm not a Subaru hater (nor a lover, I'm lukewarm on them), but have so much respect for what they've accomplished with building their brand. AWD really isn't needed, tires are incredibly more important, but people feel safe with it so it sells. Keep in mind that AWD also adds increased purchase cost, extra weight, decreased fuel mileage, increased maintenance needs and increased tire wear.

Atlanta never has weather where AWD is needed. People here just have no idea how to deal with the conditions. Heck, even driving in the rain here is ridiculous.

 

[abdmom]

I had an AWD Toyota Sienna that I drove in Minnesota and southern Ontario. It drove like a tank through the snow. I highly recommend it!

 

[ronandannette]

I'm looking at a new car and figured I'd go directly to the source when it comes to winter driving. Hello Canada!

I'm looking at a either an Minivan or SUV with FWD that offers AWD as an add-on, do I really need AWD for daily winter driving or would the money (~$2,000 USD) be better spent on FWD and a good set of winter tires?

If I do need AWD for snow&slush are all season tires sufficient or would I still need a separate set of winter tires?

CAUTION!! You need to understand that AWD/4WD is about going; winter tires are about stopping. No matter what type of drive train you end up with, in icy, snowy, wet and slushy conditions you will find stopping precarious with all-season tires. Most of us that do most of our winter driving in the city find stopping on icy roads while in heavy traffic, to be the biggest problem we have. Personally, I haven't been without winter tires for almost 20 years until this year. I honestly can't believe how inferior all-seasons are.

 

[SgtTibbs]

CAUTION!! You need to understand that AWD/4WD is about going; winter tires are about stopping. No matter what type of drive train you end up with, in icy, snowy, wet and slushy conditions you will find stopping precarious with all-season tires. Most of us that do most of our winter driving in the city find stopping on icy roads while in heavy traffic, to be the biggest problem we have. Personally, I haven't been without winter tires for almost 20 years until this year. I honestly can't believe how inferior all-seasons are.

So do you have a second set of rims/tires to swap out with? It seems like it would be problematic to remount a set tires twice per year.